My Tribute to a veteran,and a great Republican

I was hoping to be able to make this post before midnight,but I didn't know If I would get home on time or not. There are three people in my life that I feel influenced me the most on my political beliefs. The first was my dad who now that I'm older leans much more towards the democrat end. The Second was my gradfather on my moms side,and the last was my Uncle France Moris, my mom's brother. Who was known to everyone as "Sonny". He served in the U.S. Army from 1961-1963, and I couldn't help but think of him on this day that we honor our veterans. It was a fairly sunny day this morning, but a cold November wind. Some parts of the state had snow today,but it was pretty nice where we were when we layed Uncle Sonny to rest this morning. He died in his sleep on Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning from a hole in his aorta. He didn't believe in Doctor's, but if he would have had regular check ups it probably would have been caught,and he could have lived another 10 years. He thought he had the flu for the past week or so, but in reality his chest was filling with blood. He went to bed early on tuesday night because he didn't feel good,and never woke up. The only thing that brings me comfort is the fact that he always said I hope I die in my sleep. I don't want to be sick for years or be in a nursing home. He had survived colon cancer about 15 years ago,and had seemed to be in very good health. So his death came as a big shock to everyone. I thought alot about him the past few days,and what he meant to me. When I was younger I used to work on my grandpa's farm during the summer,and uncle Sonnys farm was just a few miles down the road. He tought me the right way to stack hay on a hay wagon (believe it or not there is a trick to it), and when hay season was over by god let's have some beers. My political views were strongly influenced by grandpa, and uncle Sonny during those summer months. They were both republican farmers in Minnesota, which in the 80's was about as common as a drunken Amish. In the 80's local farms around them were going belly up left and right,many of them were their friends and neighbors, but they stayed a float because they didn't go to the bank,and borrow $100,000 for a new tractor. They bought good conditioned used tractors without a loan,and then with hard work kept those tractors,and equiptment running. It seemed like they were always fixing on grandpa's haybailer, but it was still cheaper to fix it with your own hands then to buy a new one. Grandpa died 16 years ago,and if I'm not mistaken Uncle Sonny still has that same haybailer. They didn't want government handouts. They wanted to work hard to get ahead. Uncle Sonny also worked in town at 3M for 25 years. He was a headstrong republican, but never put down someone who felt differntly about politics, and would always hear someone else's side of the story, and then say yeah I guess that's true too,and would never put down their opinion. I don't think I ever remember him putting someone down. He once had a nieghbor named Kenny who had some obvious mental disabilities, and Uncle Sonny was his friend, I assume his only true friend. Kenny had some friends who took advantage of him over the years, but Uncle Sonny would say come on Kenny you can help us bail some hay, Kenny wasn't worth to much as a worker,but Uncle Sonny would give him a little money,and a hot meal at the end of the day,and all the pop he could drink. Some of the other local farmers would chase Kenny off when he wanted to help,but Uncle Sonny would try to give him a job he couldn't screw up,and couldn't get hurt, but it wasn't out of pitty, he truly liked Kenny. If I had to describe him in one word it would be PROUD. He was proud of what he had accomplished in his life, and he was proud of his children, and what they had accomplished, He was always talking about what this one was doing,and what that one was doing. His son in law meant as much to him as if he was his own son. and He was proud to have served his country,and looked at his days in the military with fond memories. He loved to talk about his granddaughter and his little buddy,and share stories about them with that distinctive smile,and a incredible laugh that just made you smile when you heard it. He was proud of his marriage of 41 years to my aunt Tootie his "Toots" I never once heard him say a bad word about his wife,and now that they were retired he was finally able to spend the time with her that he always wanted to. One thing that I will always reget is the fact that last weekend when I went up north to go deer hunting I was going to stop in at his farm on the way up,and I didn't because I was running a little behind. I was only 2 miles away from his house at one point,and I din't stop in to see him one last time. If I only knew I would never see him again I would have stopped to hear his laugh just one more time. He was my godfather, a veteran, a republican, a father, son, brother, father, farmer, grandpa, husband , and the Polka King of Moran Township, I'm sure that tonight all the radio's in heaven are turned to KASM, and he's teaching them how to polka. He's burried 20 feet from my grandparents,and I bet he's sitting at the table with them eating braunswiegert. I will never forget all the things he taught me about life,and how he influenced me, and I will never be able to look at veterans day the same way again without thinking of him. So Uncle Sonny thanks for what you taught me about life,and thanks for everything you did for the world while you were with us,and thanks for being a veteran.